DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

Page five

bounds until it has reached $174,635,- tribute to those causes which are just
740. One often wonders what the and worthy and which build up a big-
functions are of the modern ('handier ger city.
of Commerce which is of the type
Take the work of the Industrial
maintained in Flint.
Commission maintained by the Chant.
The modern Chandler of Commerce ber of Commerce—an organization job
usually contains a Retailers' Credit in itself in that of securing more and

Bureau which maintains a credit rat-
ing service for the merchants and pro-
fessional men of the city. This checks
against the dead beats and those who
do not pay their just obligations; pro-
tects the merchant and professional
man for his fee and builds up a real
credit in the city.
The Traffic Department of the mod-
ern Chamber carefully checks freight
bills, overcharged claims and adjust-
ments for members and reutrns bark
to them claims and overcharges
amounting to thousands of dollars an-

more industries for Flint.
We look
back and find that the Durant Motors
whose plant has located here was due
to the active work of the Chamber eef
Commerce. We cite the Fisher Body
Corporation, the Martin-Perry Cor-
poration, the Welch Battery and other
industries that have been attracted to
our city ehrough the efforts of our or-
ganization.
During the past years the Flint
Chamber of Commerce has conducted
every appeal upon the citizens for fi-

The Convention Bureau brings to
the city thousands of delegates yearly
which contribute very largely to the
financial growth of the conununity.
The Safety Council Division main-
tained helps out in the promotion of
safety through the public schools,
through the factories, and through the
downtown district. It is carried on at
stated periods with intensive cam-
paigns; at all times it is impressed up-
on the general public.
The Charity and Survey Bureau
checks all appeals for permission to
solicit funds for charity and benevo-
lent work. It carefully weeds those
of the undesirable, unworthy and beg-
gary type, enabling the citizens to con-

Commerce offices and it now promotes

nually.

ROY E. BROWNELL,

President Chamber of Commerce.

nancial aid until the Community Fund
had its conception in the Chamber of

these efforts through one well organiz-
ed campaign providing funds for the
entire need of the charity and philan-
thropy, through the year. The Cham-
ber tit* Commerce is looked Upon as the
leading organizations. To it turns the
citizens in their times of need for their
leadership and guidance. It is rated
'010 of the fifty best in the United
States and is patterned after by many
of the smaller cities of Michigan. It
is clue to the remarkable growth of the
Chamber eef Commerce that the civic
developments of the city of Flint is
rated second to that of Cleveland
which stands out in the United States
as being the leader.

Veit & Davison
Lumber Company

History and Growth Of Flint
Chamber Of Commerce

By ROY E. BROWNELL, President

One often sees remarkable growth
hi individuals and communities. Few
people stop to realize what has caused,
tel marked degree, this change. This
is particularly true in the case of the
city of Flint which has grown at such
s remarkable pace during the past
decades.
Let us for a few moments journey
beck to a Monday evening, June 25th,
1906, to a little meeting of citizens
who met in the Council Room of the
City Hill to form what was known as
the Flint Improvement League. These
men selected Mr. J. 11. Crawford,
Chas L. Bartlett, Wm. Blackney and
C. T. Bridgman to act as their officers
in building up an official organization
for promoting the well being and ex-
pansion of their city.
Checking back in a city directory of
themr we find that Flint was of the
small type city government, composed
of Mayor with alderman from six
wards. A population of 14,884; a val-
uation of real estate amounting to
MX5,510.
Let us journey on to that memorable
year of 1909 when the Flint Improve-
ment League has outgrown its use be-
muse it had educated the citizenry of
a fast grooving city that far greater
and more efficient work was demanded
and that the Flint Improvement
League could not hope to function in
its present size and scope. Therefore,
it branched out in what was known
is the Flint Board of Commerce, its
constitution revised and it began its
fourth year of existence with a far
greater program of activity and use-
fulness for our city. Its membership
", tomPosed of a number of business
and professional men. Its program of
work was limited to nuostly of volun-
teer effort which continued until a few
years later when a part time secretary,
or director, was placed in charge. This
continued until the year of 1916 when
a real civic revival took place within
the city. The American City Bureau,
the organizers of many Chambers of
(?amerce throughout the United

States, came to this city and injected
the rod pep and spirit which has made
the Chamber of Commerce the out-
standing leader among the organiza-
tions in the city today. A membership
of 1,500 members was secured which
guaranteed an income for a three year
period and adequately provide for the
maintaining of a regular corp of of-
ficers and staff to promote civic and
city interests.
Could we but check back on a direc-
tory of that year of 1916, we would
find that it reads something like this:
That it was carefully estimated that
the population had reached the great
total of 74,927, an increase over the
previous year of 21,712; that its area
had reached the size of eleven square
miles; the assessed valuation had ris-
en to 47,594,444; that it had one hun-
dred and seventy three miles of
streets; that it had a fire department
of forty-two men, a police department
of fifty men, four banks and many
other notable achievements.
But let as check carefully upon the
activities of this Flint Board of Com-
merce. Programs of work were dis-
tributed. Questionaires were sent to
members. Active thought was pro-
voked in every club and social function
available to this great membership
of civic and professional leaders
which has resulted in the securing
of ninny new industries, improvements
in the city government and other
}chases which has meant a bigger and
better Flint.
Let us now look at our present or-
ganization. The Flint Board of Com-
merce has given way to the Flint
Chamber of Commerce which with its
many bureaus functions for a bigger
and better city; maintains a member-
ship of 2,097 leaders along business
and professional lines; employs a staff
of 22 people and advertises Flint in
this and foreign countries; extols the
wonderful opportunities offered by
this vast growing industrial city and
makes the new corners feel at home.
Flint has risen in population to an
estimate of 127,000 souls; its assess-
ed valuation has grown in leaps and

Lumber
for
Every
Use

YARDS and MILL
Avon St. at G. T. Ry.

PHONES 103-104

119 East Kearsley Street

Telephone 3889.3890

F. T. FREEMAN & COMPANY

INCORPORATED

GENERAL INSURANCE

FLINT. MICHIGAN